EPIC UK PRESENTS

CODEX: TYRANIDS

An unofficial codex for use with Games Workshop’s

Epic Armageddon rule set

Version: 100815

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INFORMATION

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE TYRANIDS

For more information into the background of the Tyranids, please purchase the Warhammer 40,000 Tyranid
Codex © from Games Workshop. Alternatively you can visit Games Workshop’s website for more
information.

THANK YOU

A big thank you has to go to the EPIC UK committee; without their enthusiasm, for a game that they love,
this army book wouldn’t be a reality. The wish and will to improve a fantastic tournament wargame, within the
UK, has been their only payment.

A big thank you also has to go to Games Workshop; without their imagination, creativeness and support this
game would not be around today. A special thank you has to go to Jervis Johnson and all the Fanatic team,
both past and present.

Also a big thank you has to go to all the independent EPIC developers, especially the army developers on
the Tactical Command internet forum. Without their ideas some of the developments within this book would
not be a reality.

PICTURES

All miniatures photographed within this book are © Games workshop 2003. All rights reserved. Used without
permission – all pictures of painted models provided by Tim Hunt and Ryan Dowes.

TEXT

All text (including stories) is an unofficial production created by EPIC UK derived, without permission, upon
the Warhammer intellectual property owned by Games Workshop Ltd.

DISCLAIMER

This book is completely unofficial and in no way endorsed by Games Workshop Limited.

Adeptus Astartes, Battlefleet Gothic, Black Flame, Black Library, the Black Library logo, BL Publishing, Blood
Angels, Bloodquest, Blood Bowl, the Blood Bowl logo, The Blood Bowl Spike Device, Cadian, Catachan, the
Chaos device, Cityfight, the Chaos logo, Citadel, Citadel Device, City of the Damned, Codex,
Daemonhunters, Dark Angels, Dark Eldar, Dark Future, the Double-Headed/Imperial Eagle device, 'Eavy
Metal, Eldar, Eldar symbol devices, Epic, Eye of Terror, Fanatic, the Fanatic logo, the Fanatic II logo, Fire
Warrior, Forge World, Games Workshop, Games Workshop logo, Genestealer, Golden Demon,
Gorkamorka, Great Unclean One, the Hammer of Sigmar logo, Horned Rat logo, Inferno, Inquisitor, the
Inquisitor logo, the Inquisitor device, Inquisitor: Conspiracies, Keeper of Secrets, Khemri, Khorne, Kroot, Lord
of Change, Marauder, Mordheim, the Mordheim logo, Necromunda, Necromunda stencil logo, Necromunda
Plate logo, Necron, Nurgle, Ork, Ork skull devices, Sisters of Battle, Skaven, the Skaven symbol devices,
Slaanesh, Space Hulk, Space Marine, Space Marine chapters, Space Marine chapter logos, Talisman, Tau,
the Tau caste designations, Tomb Kings, Trio of Warriors, Twin Tailed Comet Logo, Tyranid, Tzeentch,
Ultramarines, Warhammer, Warhammer Historical, Warhammer Online, Warhammer 40k Device,
Warhammer World logo, Warmaster, White Dwarf, the White Dwarf logo, and all associated marks, names,
races, race insignia, characters, vehicles, locations, units, illustrations and images from the Blood Bowl
game, the Warhammer world, the Talisman world, and the Warhammer 40,000 universe are either ®, TM
and/or © Copyright Games Workshop Ltd 2000-2008, variably registered in the UK and other countries
around the world. Used without permission. No challenge to their status intended. All Rights Reserved to
their respective owners.

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CONTENTS

Page 1. Information
Page 2. Contents

Page 3. Tyranid Special Rules

Page 4-8. Tyranid Units
Page 9. Tyranid Army List

Page 10-11. EPIC UK Tyranids: What, How and Why

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TYRANID SPECIAL RULES

SYNAPSE

Synapse units are more directly influenced by the Tyranid Hive Mind. A formation that has any
Synapse units in it can capture objectives. If a formation has lost all its Synapse units or did not
start with any then it may only contest objectives.

Formations that include at least one Synapse unit don't receive blast markers for Gargoyle,
Hormagaunt or Termagant units that are killed, and don't count Gargoyle, Hormagaunt or
Termagant units that are lost in an assault when working out who has won the combat.

THE HUNGER

All Tyranid formations receive a +1 modifier to the dice roll when attempting to make an engage
action or when rolling to rally in the end phase.

FAST AND SLITHERING

Tyranid creatures can cover terrain very easily. Tyranid war engines, armoured vehicles and light
vehicles do not have to take difficult terrain tests, they are assumed to automatically pass them.
Impassable terrain is still impassable to them.

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TYRANID UNITS

HIVE TYRANT
Type Speed Armour Close Combat Fire Fight
Armoured Vehicle 20cm (30cm) 4+ (5+) 3+ 5+

Weapon Range Fire Power Notes

Scything Talons (base contact) Assault Weapons Macro Weapon, Extra Attack (+1)
Venom Cannon 30cm AP5+/AT6+ -

Notes: Commander, Fearless, Leader, Reinforced Armour, Synapse. May be given wings to gain a 30cm move and the Jump Pack ability, but its armour save is reduced to 5+

TYRANID WARRIORS
Type Speed Armour Close Combat Fire Fight
Infantry 20cm 5+ 3+ 5+

Weapon Range Fire Power Notes

Deathspitters (15cm) Small Arms -
Rending Claws (base contact) Assault Weapons Extra Attack (+1)
Venom Cannon 30cm AP5+/AT6+ -

Notes: Fearless, Leader, Synapse

TERMAGANTS
Type Speed Armour Close Combat Fire Fight
Infantry 20cm - 6+ 5+

Weapon Range Fire Power Notes

Fleshborers (15cm) Small Arms -

Notes:

HORMAGAUNT
Type Speed Armour Close Combat Fire Fight
Infantry 20cm - 5+ -

Weapon Range Fire Power Notes

Talons (base contact) Assault Weapons Extra Attack (+1)

Notes: Infiltrators

GARGOYLES
Type Speed Armour Close Combat Fire Fight
Infantry 30cm - 6+ 6+

Weapon Range Fire Power Notes

Fleshborers (15cm) Small Arms -
Swarm Strike 15cm AA6+ -

Notes: Jump Pack

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 GENESTEALERS
Type Speed Armour Close Combat Fire Fight
Infantry 20cm 6+ 4+ -

Weapon Range Fire Power Notes

Rending Claws (base contact) Assault Weapons Extra Attack (+1)

Notes: First Strike, Infiltrators, Scout, Synapse

LICTORS
Type Speed Armour Close Combat Fire Fight
Infantry 20cm 5+ 4+ -

Weapon Range Fire Power Notes

Scything Talons (base contact) Assault Weapons Macro Weapon, Extra Attack (+1)

Notes: First Strike, Infiltrator, Scout, Teleport

RAVENERS
Type Speed Armour Close Combat Fire Fight
Infantry 20cm 5+ 3+ 6+

Weapon Range Fire Power Notes

Deathspitters (15cm) Small Arms -
Scything Talons (base contact) Assault Weapons Macro Weapon, Extra Attack (+1)

Notes: Infiltrators, Teleport

BIOVORE
Type Speed Armour Close Combat Fire Fight
Light Vehicle 20cm 6+ 6+ 5+

Weapon Range Fire Power Notes

Spore Mines 30cm 1BP Disrupt, Indirect Fire

Notes:

SPORE MINE CLUSTER

Type Speed Armour Close Combat Fire Fight
Light Vehicle 15cm 5+ - 5+

Weapon Range Fire Power Notes

Explosive Spores 15cm AP5+/AT5+/AA5+ Disrupt

Notes: Skimmer, Scout

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 CARNIFEX
Type Speed Armour Close Combat Fire Fight
Armoured Vehicle 20cm 4+ 3+ 6+

Weapon Range Fire Power Notes

Scything Talons (base contact) Assault Weapons Macro Weapon, Extra Attack (+1)
Spore Cysts (15cm) Small Arms -

Notes: Fearless, Reinforced Armour

ZOANTHROPE
Type Speed Armour Close Combat Fire Fight
Armoured Vehicle 20cm 5+ 6+ 5+

Weapon Range Fire Power Notes

Warp Blast 30cm MW5+/AA6+ Macro Weapon
and (15cm) Small Arms Macro Weapon

Notes: Skimmer, Leader, Reinforced Armour

DACTYLIS
Type Speed Armour Close Combat Fire Fight
Armoured Vehicle 25cm 5+ 6+ 5+

Weapon Range Fire Power Notes

Heavy Spore Mines 45cm 1BP Disrupt, Indirect Fire

Notes: Reinforced Armour

EXOCRINE
Type Speed Armour Close Combat Fire Fight
Armoured Vehicle 25cm 5+ 5+ 5+

Weapon Range Fire Power Notes

Heavy Venom Cannon 30cm 4 × AP5+/AT6+ -

Notes: Reinforced Armour

HARUSPEX
Type Speed Armour Close Combat Fire Fight
Armoured Vehicle 25cm 5+ 5+ -

Weapon Range Fire Power Notes

2 × Scything Talons (base contact) Assault Weapons Macro Weapon, Extra Attack (+1)

Notes: Reinforced Armour

MALEFACTOR
Type Speed Armour Close Combat Fire Fight
Armoured Vehicle 25cm 5+ 5+ 5+

Weapon Range Fire Power Notes

Spine Arms (15cm) Small Arms Extra Attacks (+2)

Notes: Reinforced Armour

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 TRYGON
Type Speed Armour Close Combat Fire Fight
War Engine 20cm 4+ 3+ 5+

Weapon Range Fire Power Notes

Bio-Electric Field 15cm 2 × AP3+/AT6+ Forward Arc
Scything Talons (base contact) Assault Weapon Macro Weapon, Extra Attack (+1)

Damage Capacity: 2
Critical Hit Effect: Primary nerve plexus destroyed, the Trygon is killed.

Notes: Fearless, Infiltrator, Reinforced Armour, Synapse, Teleport

HIERODULE
Type Speed Armour Close Combat Fire Fight
War Engine 20cm 5+ 4+ 5+

Weapon Range Fire Power Notes

Bio-Cannon 45cm 2 × AP3+/AT4+ Forward Arc
Crushing Claws (base contact) Assault Weapon Macro Weapon, Extra Attack (+1)

Damage Capacity: 3
Critical Hit Effect: Primary nerve plexus destroyed, the Hierodule is killed.

Notes: Fearless, Reinforced Armour

HARRIDAN
Type Speed Armour Close Combat Fire Fight
War Engine 35cm 5+ 4+ 5+

Weapon Range Fire Power Notes

Bio-Cannon 45cm 2 × AP3+/AT4+ Fixed Forward
Crushing Claws (base contact) Assault Weapon Macro Weapon, Extra Attack (+1)

Damage Capacity: 3
Critical Hit Effect: Primary nerve plexus destroyed, the Harridan and all transported units are killed.

Notes: Fearless, Leader, Reinforced Armour, Synapse, Skimmer, Transport (May carry up to six Gargoyle units)

HIVE NEST
Type Speed Armour Close Combat Fire Fight
War Engine 0cm 4+ 5+ 6+

Weapon Range Fire Power Notes

Ripper Swarms (base contact) Assault Weapon Extra Attack (+1)
and (15cm) Small Arms -

Damage Capacity: 3
Critical Hit Effect: Primary nerve plexus destroyed, the Hive Nest is killed.

Notes: Fearless, Leader, Reinforced Armour, Synapse, Thick Rear Armour

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 HIEROPHANT BIO-TITAN
Type Speed Armour Close Combat Fire Fight
War Engine 25cm 5+ 3+ 5+

Weapon Range Fire Power Notes

2 × Bio-Cannon 45cm 2 × AP3+/AT4+ Forward Arc
Massive Claws (base contact) Assault Weapon Macro Weapon, Extra Attacks (+3)

Damage Capacity: 4
Critical Hit Effect: Roll a D6 (1: All models in base contact suffer a MW6+ attack, 2-5: take one additional point of damage, 6: Killed)

Notes: Fearless, Invulnerable Save, Reinforced Armour, Synapse. May step over units and impassable terrain that is lower than the Hierophant’s knees and up to 2cm wide

HYDRAPHANT BIO-TITAN
Type Speed Armour Close Combat Fire Fight
War Engine 20cm 4+ 3+ 4+

Weapon Range Fire Power Notes

2 × Bio-Cannon 45cm 2 × AP3+/AT4+ Forward Arc
Bio-Acid 15cm 3BP Ignore Cover, Forward Arc
Ripper Tentacles (base contact) Assault Weapon Extra Attacks (+2), Titan Killer (D3)
Massive Claws (base contact) Assault Weapon Macro Weapon, Extra Attacks (+3)

Damage Capacity: 6
Critical Hit Effect: Roll a D6 (1: All models in base contact suffer a MW6+ attack, 2-5: take one additional point of damage, 6: Killed)

Notes: Fearless, Invulnerable Save, Reinforced Armour, Synapse. May step over units and impassable terrain that is lower than the Hydraphant’s knees and up to 2cm wide

DOMINATRIX
Type Speed Armour Close Combat Fire Fight
War Engine 20cm 4+ 3+ 4+

Weapon Range Fire Power Notes

Bio-Cannon 45cm 2 × AP3+/AT4+ Fixed Forward Arc
Bio-Acid 15cm 3BP Ignore Cover, Forward Arc
Energy Pulse 30cm AP4+/AT4+/AA5+ -
and (15cm) Small Arms Macro Weapon, Extra Attacks (+1)
Massive Claws (base contact) Assault Weapon Macro Weapon, Extra Attacks (+3)

Damage Capacity: 6
Critical Hit Effect: Roll a D6 (1: All models in base contact suffer a MW6+ attack, 2-5: take one additional point of damage, 6: Killed)

Notes: Commander, Fearless, Invulnerable Save, Leader, Reinforced Armour, Synapse. As long as the Tyranid army contains one or more remaining Dominatrix it may re-
roll a single failed Initiative test (of any type) once per turn. May step over units and impassable terrain that is lower than the Dominatrix’s knees and up to 2cm wide

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TYRANID ARMY LIST
Tyranid armies have a strategy rating of 1. All Tyranid formations have an initiative rating of 2+.

TYRANID CORE FORMATIONS

FORMATION CORE UNITS NORMAL BIG UPGRADES POINTS
Assault Swarm Two Tyranid Warrior units and eight 225 400 Replace up to six Termagants with Hormagaunts Free
Termagant units Add any number of Termagants 15 each
Add up to five Gargoyles 20 each
Add up to three Biovores 25 each
Add one Hive Tyrant 50 each
Add up to three Carnifex 50 each
Add one Hierodule 125 each

Add up to three from the following: 35 each

Raveners, Zoanthropes

Add up to three from the following: 35 each

Exocrines, Malefactors, Haruspexes
Brute Swarm One Hive Tyrant and three units chosen 200 350 Add any number of Termagants 15 each
from the following: Add up to three Biovores 25 each
Exocrines, Haruspexes, Malefactors Add up to four Dactylis 50 each
Add up to two Hierodules 125 each

Add any number from the following: 35 each

Exocrines, Haruspexes, Malefactors, Zoanthropes,
Raveners

Replace up to six from the following with Carnifex: 15 each

Exocrines, Haruspexes, Malefactors

TYRANID SUPPORT FORMATIONS

(Up to one for each Core formation taken)
FORMATION CORE UNITS NORMAL BIG UPGRADES POINTS
Dominatrix One Dominatrix 500 - Add any number of Termagants 15 each
Add up to four Hierodules 125 each

Add up to six from the following: 50 each

Carnifex, Dactylis

Add up to three from the following: 35 each

Exocrines, Haruspexes, Malefactors, Raveners,
Zoanthropes
Genestealers Six Genestealer units 150 - Add up to three Genestealers 25 each
Nest Swarm One Hive Nest and four units chosen from 175 - Add any number of Termagants 15 each
the following list: Add up to four Biovores 25 each
Termagants, Hormagaunts Add up to four Exocrines 35 each
Add up to four Dactylis 50 each

Add any number from the following: 35 each

Zoanthropes, Raveners

TYRANID RARE FORMATIONS

FORMATION CORE UNITS NORMAL BIG UPGRADES POINTS
Spore Mine Swarm Six Spore Mine Clusters 150 - - -
Harassment Swarm One Harridan and two Gargoyle units 250 - Add four Gargoyles 50
Hierophant One Hierophant Bio-Titan 300 - - -
Hydraphant One Hydraphant Bio-Titan 500 - - -
Lictor Swarm Five Lictor units 250 - Add up to three Lictors 35 each
Subterranean Swarm One Trygon and two Ravener units 250 - Add up to four Raveners 35 each

USING THE ARMY LIST

• A maximum of a third of the points available to the army may be spent on Tyranid Rare Formations.
• Swarms can come in two sizes, normal and big. The number of core units refers to the number of units in a normal
formation. If the points are paid for a big formation then the number of units is doubled.
• A Tyranid formation may include any of the extra units listed under upgrades. You may include any number of extra units in
a formation unless it is specifically noted otherwise. If there is a limitation then the limit is doubled for a big formation.

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EPIC UK TYRANIDS

WHAT, HOW AND WHY

So you’ve just finished reading through the EPIC UK Tyranid codex, however you have some questions;
what has EPIC UK done? How have we done it and why? Well this part of the army book is here to help you
out!

Below you will find out what we’ve done, how and why we did it. Have a read though this and find out what
was in the EPIC UK team’s head when we designed the Tyranid army list.

TYRANIDS

So Tyranids it is then! Before the Epic UK Tyranid codex release there were several Tyranid army lists
available and in development on the internet. Parts of these have been used as inspiration for this list and
we thank all those that have worked on them.

One of the first issues that was discussed and tested was whether the main Assault Swarm should be
allowed to garrison or not. To allow this Warriors and Termagants were given a 15cm move, with swarms
then having options to add in faster units but with the disadvantage of losing the ability to garrison. This was
later changed to limit garrisoning forces, but give a fast moving horde feel by increasing the movement of all
Tyranid infantry to 20cm.

Special Rules can make or break the feel of an army. Reviewing previous attempts at Tyranid army lists, it
often seemed these were overly complicated and unnecessary. With this in mind a single fairly basic
Synapse rule was created to show the power of the Tyranid hive mind and differentiate its more
independently minded creatures.

The perspective of a never ending wave of creatures overwhelming defenders through sheer weight of
numbers was achieved by adding the ‘grot’ rule to Termagants, Hormagaunts and Gargoyles. This allowed
the Tyranid player to be very aggressive with their assault swarms. Leader was also given to many units
including Hive Tyrants, Warriors, Harridans, Hive Nests and Zoanthropes to allow formations to easily
remove blast markers.

The basic initiative of the Tyranid army was set at 2+. However as the army is designed to primarily attack its
opponents at close quarters and rip them apart, the list was given a +1 initiative boost when engaging.
Tyranids also receive a +1 initiative boost when rallying to represent the overwhelming power of the hive
mind. Additionally to keep any special rules to a minimum and for simplicity all tunnelling rules were dropped
in favour of using the teleport special rule. This also helped speed up play.

To further change the feel of the army the need to take difficult terrain tests was removed, so the only thing
that will stop the advance of a Tyranid army is impassable terrain and the opposing army. This was later
modified to only affect non-infantry units as it was felt that obstacles such as razor wire would still affect
Tyranid infantry.

War Engines have been chopped and changed a lot during the formation of this list. At one stage the army
could be played as a pure war engine list. These were fun games but lacked the flavour of the hoards of
critters and monsters swarming over the battlefield that we wanted to create. A player can still go war engine
heavy using Dominatrix, Hierodules, Trygons, Harridans and even massive Bio-Titans like the
Hierophants and Hydraphants, but the army must always include a number of swarms first.

A final interesting design choice was to allow more than one Dominatrix in the army, with a special supreme
commander style ability linked to the presence of even a single of these powerful creatures on the battlefield.

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UPDATED TYRANIDS

A popular tournament army, although generally well balanced it has been found that Assault Swarms are a
very powerful choice. Especially in large numbers, combined with a high activation count using other fast or
teleporting war-engine formations to disrupt or harass the enemy.

To this end the normal and big Assault Swarm formation costs have been increased. Additionally the very
powerful Harassment Swarm has seen a structural adjustment combined with a slight points increase.

At the same time a few internal imbalances have been addressed. Brute Swarms, always a poor choice
compared to Assault Swarms have received a small points drop. This combined with the increased cost of
Assault Swarms should make them a much more favourable choice. Additionally a number of upgrade points
costs and options have been removed, reduced in cost and harmonised.

A number of underperforming units have received improvements. Carnifex have received the fearless ability
while Lictors have received a small armour boost and the upgrade option has received a points drop. Spore
Mine Clusters have gained improved firepower. Zoanthropes have received a slight boost to their firepower
and have also been designated armoured vehicles. Biovores have also seen a small points decrease.

Finally the Hierophant and Hydraphant Bio-Titans have both seen their firepower increased, additionally
the Hydraphant has had its firefight increased to 4+. This is to make them better choices in the competitive
rare section.

Well I hope this answers your questions of What, How and Why. If not please send the EPIC UK team an
email and we will try to answer any queries you may have.

Thank you

The EPIC UK Team

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